If your child witnessed a 911 emergency, would he or she know what to do?

For years, one of the best 911-emergency teachers here in the Lehigh Valley has been Andy the Ambulance, a robotic replica of a Cetronia ambulance.

Each year, the fully animated robot accompanies Cetronia Ambulance Corps on visits to hundreds of free, community-based education programs at daycare centers, preschools, elementary schools and Boy and Girl scouts and youth group meetings throughout the Valley. He interacts with children with his ability to move, speak and activate his lights and sirens by remote control.

It takes money to keep these programs going. So on May 20, Cetronia Ambulance Corps is teaming up with the Young Lawyers Division of the Bar Association of Lehigh County to present a major fundraiser – The Great Ambulance Chase 5K Race and Family-Fun Walk, beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Lehigh Valley Zoo and Trexler Nature Preserve, 5150 Game Preserve Rd., Schnecksville.

The family event will offer exercise, fun and learning. The 5K race begins at 8:30 at the front of the Lehigh Valley Zoo entrance. The majority of the race course will follow the Jordan River through the Nature Preserve, which provides a wooded and natural setting that is good for all levels of racers. The course offers a water option that gives runners a chance to run through the Jordan Ford (4-6 inches of water) or take the foot bridge to begin the final leg of the race.

Immediately following the 5K race (about 9:30 a.m.) will be an awards ceremony and the unveiling of a new Andy the Ambulance purchased through sponsorships by Capital BlueCross and the Pennsylvania Children’s Health Insurance Program.

At about 9:45 a.m., Andy will start the family-fun walk, which will go directly through the zoo. Animal experts from the zoo will guide the walk and share information about the animals and preserving the environment. Children will receive stickers at each of six stops that they'll past on Walk, Learn, Win entry forms, which will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win a free pizza party with Andy for their classroom.

A children’s activities area will have Andy the Ambulance coloring books, as will as educational information about emergency preparedness for children and their parents.

The fee for registration, which will be held at the zoo pavilion before the race, is $35 for the 5K race; $15 per person or $30 for family of 4 for the family-fun walk. Or, you can register online at www.active.com, keyword “Centronia Ambulance. Info: www.cetronia.org.

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ABOUT THE WRITERS

TIM DARRAGH has been reporting and editing the news for 30 years, most of it at The Morning Call. For much of that time, he's been doing award-winning investigative and in-depth reporting projects. Tim created the three-year-long Change of Heart project, and wrote a series on the state's fractured food inspection system that led to widespread improvements in food safety. Meantime, that novice jogger you see plodding along the streets around Bethlehem Township? That would be Tim.